His Siren
by MissyMonster
Summary: Just a little series of ficlets about krieg and maya progressing relationship as they adventure across pandora.
1. Chapter 1

Not many things pleased him as much as screams.

And boy, there was no shortage of those on Pandora.

Sure, some were prettier than others, but all gave him that sweet satisfaction, like scratching an itch _just _right.

Bandits and engineers, those are his _favorites. _The sweetest scratch on the tumescent scar of his psyche. But, he can't always have his sweets.

Not now at least. Not since he met her. The _siren. _My siren, and the rest of the fools heart set on finding the vault.

Me? It's not my thing really. Gave up the heroics years ago, and him, he's just happy to have someone to murder with. _She's _the reason i stay.

She's also the reason i'm freezing my nips off in the damned tundra. I swear this idiot has something against sweaters, or maybe he just likes having a reason to set himself on fire. Either way I-

"On your left!"

Eh?

I hear it before i see it and swing on an instinct, severing the varkids gullet before it leapt on top of me.

The bitch is still alive and _angry, _but that doesn't phase me a bit. He let's out a sick chuckle as the gore streams from the things throat.

As far as he's concerned a blood shower is as good as any and he thinks of letting it bleed to death before it's incisors are chomping on his mask.

"GAHRRAH,ThaT'S **MY **PAiN PiLLOW," A swift kick to the abdomen and it shrieks, loosing its grip on his mask. The sound bounces in his ears, ripping his face into a twisted grin and spurring him on.

From his back he shifts onto broad shoulders and kicks the fat mosquito off, the steel sole of his shoe almost breaking through the sensitive skin.

Its legs kick in the air as it writhes on the ground and even i would laugh. The damn thing is stuck on its back. Goddamn.

The chubby idiot shrieks of terror and annoyance make it hard for him to compose himself, but ignoring the euphoria of it all he shows a little mercy and caves in its skull with a heavy boot.

"Krieg!"

Oh yeah.

He turns and sees his siren, jogging towards him, panting and wiping sweat from her brow.

Blood splatters on her combat suit and the sticky residue of mutated varkids making a mess of her hair, but still the sight takes me back a step and i ogle at her beauty.

"Whoo," Maya breathed out, resting her hands on her knees before composing herself, "That was a little close, doncha think?"

Not really, but these chubby bastards can really pack a punch. Maybe more of one if she hadn't told him. _tell her we got this._

"NNGh, THeIR GROping miTTS don't EVEN SCRATCH mE!"

"Oh really?" Her eyebrow raise and a devilish little smile plays on her lips, "Because, back there, you didn't seem to notice that _chubby _sneaking up on you," reloading her smg, he still gawks at the pretty colors of the elemental tech. I personally thing the thing looks like a damn water gun, but i'd never say it.

"Daydreaming again? Or has the little guy been distracting you?"

The accuracy of this nearly surprises me, but its nothing new. After being stuck with me for so long, she can read me better than the others. Hell, sometimes she even makes sense of the psycho dribble.

But one thing that didn't fly over her head was our little fights. By our, i mean my, my fights with…me? He starts most of it really, screaming at nothing, trying to kill every bipedal with a pulse, _setting me on fire._

It ain't easy putting up with this kind of abuse and i'm damned if i have the patience for it. Luckily though, she does. And she seems to have come to the conclusion that _i'm _the one throwing a wrench in the cogs, that _i'm _the one tormenting _him._

I dont know whether to laugh or cry, but i can't really blame her for such a conclusion. I've just gotta keep trying-

"Krieg? Yoohoo?"

Her hand is waving in front of my face and i realize i've been staring at her all this time.

_Great, now she'll think we're crazy and brain dead._

He gives a little shake of the head and steps back a pace, the mask hides a sheepish smile but to Maya it probably looks like he's squinting at her.

"You've got a bad habit of that, huh big guy?" She offers a smile and warm eyes and it's hard not to get sucked back into the steel grey of her eyes.

"Come on, we've gotta meet up with the others."

She turns and begins to saunter away, holding the mutated varkid parts on her hip like a beach ball, and i wonder if she knows that there's varkid sludge all up and down the back of her combat suit.

He smiles, a candid smile, and gives a hum of content before trotting after her, his siren.


	2. Chapter 2: The doctor is in

Plasma bullets. That was new.

Refined eridium plasma blasts. Or as i call em, _shield fuckers_.

_Heh,_ **_perfect_****.**

Just how the bandit got his hands on E-Tech i'd never know, but damn he knew how to use it.

Violet bullets peppered the ground and we scattered, taking cover behind the bandit corpses and metal crates.

_Dammit, _

"Say hello to the missus!" I heard the clunking of metal and the hose of bullets, the commandos laughter scuttling over it all.

_Heh, pretty boys hittin' the 'ridium if he thinks that'll work_

"Heheheh-OH SHI-" An explosion, a clunk, and i can almost hear the jackass hyperventilating from here.

**"Come on out BOYS!"**

_Aw hell._

Creeps pour outta the shackled buildings and the chaos starts again.

"Heh, these i can kill!" Fiery blasts zoom past my eyes as the sirens bullets barely miss me.

I swear to god her aim is worse than Gaige on an anarchy high, but as the charred bandits screech and crimple beside me, I hardly care.

**"I'LL PICK YOUR CORPSE CLEAN!"**

_Fuck this, just break the damn shield._

_"GAhahHHAHAHA!" _

"HeHAA PUCKErr UP FOR THE sTiCKK, MUsh-MALLOWS!"

He rushed into the fray and let the ax do the talking, the sweet rush of the voices in silence as the blood flies, drowning out the roar of battle.

"GIMME A SMILE PASTY CAKES!" The crack and whirrr as he buries his toy in the bandits mouth.

_I wonder if my teeth are that white…_

The little meatchunk howls and it's that trip to the dentist all over again.

He tears away and gives a good bash, molars and grey matter splattering on his ax.

"Get it DT!"

_Oh boy, the killhogging trashcan. Great._

The kids floating Frankenstein glides past me, Maya running alongside it with that fire in her eyes.

_Heh, beat the bot to it. You get 'im._

Incendiary pistol out and kickin she all but leaps on top of the good doctor, combat boots sinking into his gut.

A jump and she's in the air above him, blasting his shield to smithereens before she rolls to the ground.

"THATS how the PRETTY DOES FLY!" Pulling Axton up from the ground by the back of his collar he sets him on his feet and they close in on the doctor.

**"GAHH, FLYIN' BITCH-!"**

"Sorry about your face!"

**"WATCHU SAY TO ME YA LITTLE TWERP-" **Mercy spun and cocked the plasma rifle at Gaige, who, (_being the little shit she is) _smiled and flipped him off, as DT rose into view.

**"AWW HELL" **Digi-struct claws make a blue glare in the sunset and the doctor can't scream without a gullet.

Dropping to his knees Mercy sputters and hisses, before a blue of a different shade catches his eye.

"Heheheh, that was fun." His siren cocked the pistol at Mercy's forehead, a glint of fire and dark delight melting away in those steel eyes.

_Burn me baby. _

**Bang.**

The bastard dropped cold, and DT digistructed away as pixels trailed into Gaige's metallic fist.

"Seriously? It's over? Lame." The kid strode up the steps and gave Mercy a little n

udge. "Hey! Be better next time."

Maya giggled, "He can't hear you with a bullet between his ears."

"Whatever." She turned the Plasma gun over in her hands, aiming down the sights and firing at the rakk circling overhead. Didn't even phase 'em.

"Pssht, weaksauce." Gaige tossed it over her shoulder and it landed in a four fingered palm.

"Hmmmm," The assassin inspected the rifle, "Interesting tech, a bit too flashy for me, more your style Ax."

"Give it here"

_The hell are we doing, playing "pass the kill stick"?_

"Ooooooohoohooo," he looked up with an eager smile, "It's **Dahl**."

"The hell is Dahl?"

"Psshht, did they teach you _anything _in that shitty school?" He slanted his brow, "Dahl is only the highest grade of military force ever to march in this galaxy, thank you very much."

"Pssht," Gaige just mumbled and reloaded her rifle, "Must not be that great if they recruited you…"

"What was that?"

I tuned out their banter and looked to the valley. Skags receded to their dens with the coming night, and the last bit of sunlight sliced across my vision.

Averting my eyes, I couldn't help but notice Mercys jacket.

_Oh…it's so…clean._

He crouched and fingered the fabric.

_Hmmmmmmm._

The siren sighed and kept quiet as Gaige and Axton debated the quality of Dahl and the need for military. "If these idiots could bicker anymore…", her thoughts strayed from the mission gun, and she too looked to the dying sunset on the semi-tundra. "Not so bad without all the creeps…"

"NNGGHNYAHH, NHHDFGUHHH!"

"Is that a baby skag-?"

She turned to see Krieg, fumbling on the ground, desperately trying to get Mercy's jacket over his massive shoulders.

_This was a bad idea. We're gonna fall off the overlook at this rate…_

"Uhh, want some help?"

He got the jacket down just enough to see Maya crouched there, elbows on her knees, smiling at him.

"Ya know, it would help if you _unbuttoned it _first."

_Oh yeahhh…_

"Hnnng! The flesh sweater is a size to small for THIS gRinch!"

He struggled further and Maya covered her smile, "Oh stop it, com'ere."

"-AND FURTHERMORE, WHO SAYS WE **NEED **A GOVERNMENT?"

"Oh, um, lemme think, THE UNIVERSE? Gaige, unless you wanna end up like the savages on Vulcan 8 you better check your tone."

"Yeah WHATEVER, ya middle-aged TURRET HUMPER!" Gaige crossed her arms and turned away from Axton in a huff.

"Hmmph. Grandpa fucker." He turned and did the same, pausing to stroke his turret, "shhhh, " he whispered, "She doesn't mean it."

Gaige giggled behind him.

"Oh, alright sorry if it's wrong to love your-"

"Hheheh, Nah, Ax, look." She patted his shoulder and he turned.

Krieg's head popped out of the jackets collar and he looked down at himself as Maya tried to pat out the wrinkles.

"HAHAHA, FITS LIKE A GLoVE ON an inFANTs SKuLL, HEHEH!"

He twirled around, laughing too much and drooling a little, but Maya didn't seem to mind. She just giggled and looked on.

"If i'm gonna treat people shot by E-tech, Immo need way more wounds to practice on. Now that cha got that there E-tech gun, why doncha test it on the local bandits?" Zeds voice rung through the echo, and Axtons face lit up like a kid with a shiny new toy.

"Yessir! HaHa!" He practically skipped down the steps, Zer0 and Gaige following him.

I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"C'mon big guy," A smile and a pat and she was down the stairs as well, but she turned to me as she went, "We don't want to keep your patients waiting." A rare wink and a giggle and she jogged to catch up with the others.

I just sorta stood there.

"Hnnngggg," He groped his chest, "ThERes a firree in me"

_Heh, and i don't think it's the jacket either…_

He pawed further, and was surprised to feel a burning lump in the right right chest pocket. Metallic and sharp.

_The hell…?_

Slowly (_could be a live grenade for all I know_,) he retrieved the little gift, the thing practically fit in his palm.

A pistol, incendiary too. With a little squiggly painted on the side.

_That's an "infinity" symbol, jackass._

The Echo sputtered in his pocket, "Krieg!" The siren called his name over the roar of bullets and bandits, "C'mon! You're missing the fun!"

Jamming the pistol in his belt, he gave a hum or excitement and gurgled laughter.

_A shame. i never really like pistols._

Looking back to the valley once more, he thought of her burning eyes as she pulled the trigger.

"HrmrmmmHEHEHhrhmheh," He worked up a jog, "A FIEry PretTY for the Fiery PRETTY. HAHA! " Full sprint he practically rammed into his runner, "HahahHA! NO FEAR my Paisley PASTY, PrETTY! ThE DOCTOR, IS IN! NYAHAHAHAH!"


	3. Chapter 3: The plot begins

Who knew one moon could reflect so much heat.

Beating down in waves, it seared the pavement and boiled the scum ponds. Skags rolled in the dust, lolling their tongues and watching the rakk bump into each other mid-air.

Even so, here we were. Bumping around in a rusty runner and sweatin like midgets on a shield.

_Goddamn, __it's hot. Short term goal: hat. Always had a thing for those Nomad caps. Maybe snag one off a goliath if you're feelin' lucky._

"NNg, OnLY THE insides of **HU**-manity can conTAIN **my **BrAIN BACON!"

_*scoff*, Picky bastard. Not gorey enough? Fine. Rip open a skag and shove your head in it for all i care. Just don't expect them to save you once you've had a heatstroke._

The commando hits a bump and I struggle to keep a firm grip, hanging off the side like a common lunatic. The smug bastard throws us a look and hits the gas pedal.

_Prick._

Apparently he doesn't mind. The rush of wind biting his skin, roadkill splattering his pants, he all but screams with shrieks of joy.

He couldn't give a damn if he tried. The rest of 'em? Didn't seem too happy. Their voices are near mute, the wind roaring in his ears drowning out their bickering.

Something about Roland and the Bloodshots.

_Hmmph. Must not be must of a "leader" if those asshats got him. New age bandits. Idiots._

The siren shouted something, barely audible beneath the rushing wind. I glanced over. She was bent over the seat pointing and yelling something at Axton.

_Huh_

We crash into the Bloodshot gate and I hear my bones crack as I face-plant into cold metal.

_Seat-belt. I told you. You shoulda worn. A __**seat-belt**__. Jackass._

Peeling himself from the gate, he lands with a grunt next to the totaled runner.

The commando stares up from his airbag with a dazed look.

"Is...is errebody-"

"WE'RE FINE JUST HONK THE DAMN HORN!" Gaige screeched, dislodging herself from between the seats.

"Ach, fine geez." He patted the steering wheel, a shrill "heaaaannnk" coming from the hunk of metal.

I mentally shook my head. Even the Bloodshots wouldn't buy that. We're gonna hafta get a new runner, maybe tie Axton to the hood this time. Although he would make quite the chatty hood orna-

"Yeah, Yeah i'm openin' the damn gate," A marauder voice rang from inside the fort and i almost laughed.

_Well damn. Close enough._

Their tins roofs nearly hissed with heat. Noontime, and all was calm as ever in the stronghold. Psychos wrestled in the dirt like skags in heat, and marauders stood watch lazily lounging in the shad of the shacks.

Most had stripped their armor, laying about in tank tops and midriff shirts. Scarves and masks thrown aside in the sweltering heat. They didn't care. That big 'ol gate wasn't for looking pretty and they were damn lucky to have the luxury of mild security.

The clinking of glasses turned some heads, the padding of little feet close behind.

Bad Maw, nearly as naked as the others with his red coat open, tossed water bottles at the Bloodshots. Probably all the water they'd get all day, and a big "fuck you" if you didn't manage to catch it. And as usual, his little shadow wasn't far behind, dragging a stick in the dust absentmindedly.

Not a midget, no. Not a rat or a skag, but something of that likeness.

A child. A little girl, grimy and a bit to thin, but happy. Pup skag trotting alongside her, a good a match as any. Children weren't particularly common among the camps. Not on this side of Pandora.

But here was a child. Prodding psychos as they scuffed in the dust, screeching with joy when they jumped back at her. She stumbled away giggling, hiding in Bad Maws open coat as he made water rounds.

He just ruffled her hair and patted her back towards the open space.

"Here kid," reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out a beaten rubber ball and tossing towards her, "Occupy yerself."

She catches it, just a bit quicker than the pup. Skipping towards the gate, she throws the ball against it and catches, over and over as the pup jumped about with envy.

The gentle tap against the metal and the murmur of marauders settles in the camp, interrupted only by the girl wrestling her ball from the pups jaw. A scolding pat on the head, and she winds up for another throw.

Something in the distance, beyond the gate. The roar of an engine and some strangled shouting, growing closer. Marauders shifted and gripped their rifles.

The girl pulls her arm back for a hard throw, and lets loose. Female shouting just a second too late, a runner shaped dent appears in the gate, bouncing the ball back with force and landing the kid on her ass.

"Aw hell," The bandits jumped all at once, taking cover and pulling their masks back on.

It was Bad Maws job to watch the gate, but with the kid sniveling in the dirt he just grabbed a random bruiser and flung him towards the gate tower. "Take care of it." The muscly idiot floundered for a second pointing at the tower and back to Maw, "Ya **fuckin' deaf**? **Answer the gate**, jackhole!"

Shuffling over to the kid, he pulled her up by the scruff of her collar and brushed her off. "Ya okay kid?" Maw crouched, brushing the hair out of her face and looking at the bump where the ball hit. "Pssht, ain't nothin."

"Hey! Ow," the kid pushed his hand away with a huff, hastily wiping her tears.

"Heh, c'mon now." Maw took her hand and led her under the tin roofs, "Sit tight, shortstop."

Climbing the ladder to the gate tower, he saw a busted runner ripping towards the dust, a brandy new one not far behind. "The hell?"

The bruiser turned and shrugged. "Just a couple a' freaks tryna get in the camp.

"Gimme dem binoculars," snatching them from him, he could see the runners. Six people. Two women. A psycho. All armed. _Dangerous._The blue haired woman looked over her shoulder and Maw ducked, forcing the bruiser down with him.

"Wh-who are they?" The bruisers voice shook, sensing the danger.

"Trouble." Maw tossed the binoculars back and took off down the ladder.

"Hey, hey where're you goin'? You gotta watch the gate!" Panicky and sweating the bruiser shouted down to Maw, who took the child up in his right arm and motioned to the distressed bandit with his left.

"It's yer lucky day pal," He turned and sauntered towards the Stronghold, "Ya just got promoted to Vice Gate Keeper."

"Tha-that isn't even," Maw wasn't listening. He stopped shouting and mumbled to himself. "Hmmph, that isn't even a thing."

Motor oil is no substitute for blood. The slick ooze coats my palms and streaks my wrappings, mixing richly with the rusty stains of our past victims.

He ripped the final part from the technicals mangled underbelly, charred bandits in flames beside him. The echo device crackled in his back pocket, and a southern twang ricocheted in his ears.

I don't hear it particularly. Still coming down from the murder high makes my senses fuzzy, and i struggle to contain myself.

"Ya heard that Frankenstein?" Huh. Somehow the commandos voice comes through loud and clear, "Get your ass back to the garage, you're killin' time here!"

_Hmmph, this little shit. See if he'd say that to my face._

I felt him draw breath to shout something, but it died on his tongue as a runner pulled up beside him.

"Hop on big guy," The siren smiled and motioned behind her.

_A psycho manning a turret. Not the best idea, but hell if that don't sound fun._

With a hop and a grunt he crammed into the back, holding the wheel tight and leaning in to make "vroom vroom" noises.

_A muscly toddler. Wonderful._

"Ya ready back there?" Maya glanced back, giggling a bit at his silliness.

Nodding feverishly he licks his lips in anticipation, "LeT'S BURN THE SANDS BLOODY, BABY"

She throws back her head laughing and floors it, tearing across the sands like a rakk outta hell.

_hehehe, "vroom vroom."_

**Authors Note:**

_So this is the continuation of the Borderlands fic i've been writing. Trying to go a different path with this, throwing a second story into the mix. It'll be cohesive with the main plot, showing a different Pandoran perspective. (bandits mostly) But it all ties together. Tell me what you think, i'll be updating more frequently, (i hope) and any suggestions/ comments are cool. _


	4. Chapter 4: Calm in the Stronghold

**AN: Somthing weird is going on with the page-breaks. From now on I'll use a series of "ooo"s to show the shift in scene/perspective. Sorry.**

**Bandit Perspective:**

The drawbridge lowered with a metallic groan, mist pouring from the Stronghold.

Grace piped up from BadMaws shoulder,"Where're we goin'?

Trudging past the vending machines, their incessant whirring mimicked Maws thoughts.

"_Vault hunters. Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit. Here for the raider I'll bet. Flanksteaks gonna-_

"Maw!"

"Eh?" Maw stumbled, abruptly yanked from his thoughts by tiny mitts on his face.

Grace pouted and squished his cheeks together, "Where're we goin' Maw? We got work to do!"

"Heh, cool it squirt," Slipping Grace from his shoulder, they walked hand in hand through the stronghold, "We're just... takin' a break is all."

"But we just got out there!" She put her hands on her hips and pointed to the pup skag weaving

between Maws legs, "You said me and Bubba could play."

"Yeah well, Bubba can wait," Maw grunted, dropping down towards the rat dens, "C'mon now."

"Hmmph!" Grace stomped a sassy foot before jumping down into Maws arms. Bubba looked down at the gap between him and the floor. "C'mon Bub! Jump, I'll getcha." The skag wiggled and and jumped down, landing roughly in Graces chubby arms. "Good job Bub!" The skag licked her cheek, and Maw set them down on the ground, taking Graces hand once more.

"Are we goin' to see Flinch?" Maw almost cringed at the mention of the rat, greasy fuck always gave him the creeps. Why Grace liked him was a mystery.

"Uhh, nah. Nah not today. Maybe tomorrow." "_Maybe never was more like it." _

A shadow approached, slinking towards them from the shadows, weaving behind them menacingly. Grace giggled, but Maw just huffed and rolled his eyes. "_Aw geez"_

"Boo!" Flinch grabbed Grace from behind, pulling her into a hug as he squatted on the ground.

"Flinch!" The kid giggled and squirmed in the rats embrace, and Maw couldn't help but wonder how Flinch wasn't scratching her with those claws of his.

"How goessssssss it, Gracccce? Allssssssssss well in the Bloodshot kingdom?" This was their game. Playing princess royalty with a psychotic cannibal and a dam full of murderers. Completely healthy. Totally.

"Sorry to interupt," Maw crouched, putting a hand on Flinches shoulder and roughly pushing him back into the wall, "But the "princess" has places to be."

Grace gave Flinch a little wave and hurried after the gatekeeper, "Maw!" Little hands clutched his coattails.

"Gosh-Durnit, _**what **_?" Maw ran a worried hand through his hair, "The hell is it _**now**_?" Stomping, he turned back to the wee bloodshot, slightly taken back seeing the tears budding in her eyes.

"Tha-that was v-very mean! You're being mean!" She wiped tears in her pudgy hands, "You're always mean!"

"_Aww **dammit**!"_

"Look kid..." Maw crouched down beside her as she tried to push him away, "Hey!" He gripped her face in his hand, "I'm sorry I'm bein' rough today. But I got a **bad **feelin' in me, and I'm worried. I need to make sure yer safe. We gotta get to the base. Got that?" Grace rubbed her nose on her sleeve and nodded, "Good. C'mon now, gotta have the freaks buzz us in." The girl hugged him on her tippy-toes, giggling when he lifted her up and set her on his shoulders.

Bad Maw walked up to the intercom and pushed the red button.

"Whoo issssssssssss it?" A rats voice hissed through the speaker.

Maw sighed in exasperation, "Lemme in Donny."

"Whatsssssss the passsssword?"

Grace bounced on his shoulder, "It's pizza! Say pizza!"

Maw pulled the intercom out of the wall, using it to bang on the tunnel entrance, "**Lemme in, SKAG-SACKS!"**

The rats screeched with laughter from below, "If you sssssssay sssso!"

The tunnel opened below them, making Grace shriek merrily before they hit the bottom with a "thud".

Maw could hear them cackling from their rat holes,_"Yeah, laugh now **freaks**, when this is over immo put you on a spit." _He trudged on with a huff, going down the walkway towards the base tunnel. With a sick smirk, he knocked over the rats card table, sending pizza boxes and leftovers flying.

"NO! Not the pizzzzzzzzzzzzzza!" The rats scrambled out of their holes, tripping over one another as they rushed to recover their precious molding pizza.

Grace kicked her feet and pulled on Maws ears, "Mean!"But that only made him laugh harder.

Ducking into the tunnel, he pushed the door back into place and flipped on the lights.

Grace slipped off his shoulders as Maw set her down on the concrete floor,"See if you can find my armor, the good set." She nodded curtly and padded away into the makeshift apartment.

"Alrighty then," Maw grinned sickly, removing the tarp from his midget pen, "Which of ya wanna have a little..._**fun**_? Kukukuku..."

"Maw I found it!" Grace wobbled into the room, hidden by the heavy black armor piled in her arms.

"Thats good kiddo," Bad Maw struggled with the midgets, whacking them on the head as he hastiliy tied them onto his shield. Tying the final knot, he wiped his brow and motioned over to Grace, "Give it here."

Grace plopped on the couch, sipping a juice pouch and giggling as Maw shimmied into his armor. "Why do ya need to wear that if we're stayin' inside?" Maw gave her a brief look as he adjusted his head piece, "Are ya' gonna go whoop Donny? He didn't mean it Maw. He was just bein'-"

"I ain't stayin' inside kiddo." Grace slid off the couch, eyes lit up with surprise.

"Then, then I'm goin' back out with ya," She shuffled over and stood next to Maw in the mirror, gripping his coattails and looking up at him, "Right?"

Maw stared into the mirror, sighing as he glanced down into those big brown eyes. He shook his head.

"Then you're not goin' out!" She stomped a tiny foot and held out her arms, "Ya ain't goin'. Yer actin' weird, an' i'm not lettin' ya go!" Maw sighed and picked up his shield, Bubba nudging him as he did.

"Kid..." _"Now what idiot? Tell the runt yer gonna go pick a fight with vault hunters? Tell her to wait for you at the New-U?"_ "I ain't gonna be gone for long. I'll be right back. Just gotta do..." Graces eyes pleaded with him, her little scrunched up fists almost tearing his coat. He got down on one knee and took her face in his gloved palm. "I gotta do what I gotta do." He kissed her on the forehead and rose, shuffling towards the tunnel once again.

"B-but wait!" Grace dug her heels into the concrete and held him back. Maw looked over his shoulder with a dreary look, "Wha-what do I gotta do? Tell me what to do Maw!"

Bad Maw smiled, turning back towards the door. Opening the mini-fridge beside it, Maw tossed a cold Rakk-Ale to the child. Grace caught it and gave him a puzzled look.

"Its the last one I got. Now you go over and sit on the couch, and make sure Mike don't come down and take it, and don't go drinkin' it yerself," _"Pshht, yeah, she'd probably **die**."_

At the tunnel entrance, he looked back to Grace. She shook, looking tiny in the open room, with a skag whining at her ankles. "_Maybe... maybe they don't need m_-"

"Maw! MAW!" Flanksteaks voice sounded through the echo, "We need ya out there! Some jack-holes got through the gate! They're raisin' hell, **now get yer ass out there and do yer damn job**!"

"_Godammit." _

Maw forced a smile, "I'll be right back."

oooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo

There's a strange comfort in Bandit technicals. Enough firepower to level a camp, steel plate armor, _a fuckin' barrel catapult. Heh, what's not to love?_

Speeding into the Valley, I notice the commando taking particular caution. The siren shot him a look, nodding her head slowly.

_Careful not to fuck up again buddy. That phaselock ain't all that cozy. _

And I would know. Got it myself, not a day after I met her.

Can't remember much bout it, just overwhelming pressure and a burning in my veins. He wasn't all that bothered. Might of even got off on it, but that's what you'd expect of a raving lunatic.

Hell, it might have been an accident on her part, who knows.

The memory leaks into my thoughts and I can almost recall. In the train. That stale scent of fake leather, intermingling with cigar smoke as the gunzerker lit up. Cold metal all around me, the icy glare of mass produced hell clouding my senses.

Suddenly, the clang of metal as loaders stormed into the train car. Sweet release, losing my mind in the euphoria of combat and oil congealing on my skin. A sweet blur, brought to a stunning halt as the ground fell away at my feet. But it didn't. I was lifted, suspended in a cocoon of blue energy and searing fire. _Well damn, they finally turned on me..._ My memory echoed.

But they didn't. I looked to her, as she held her arm up to shield her face. The blast came next. The blast that woulda, _should have_ killed me...if not for her phaselock.

I felt my lips twinge into a smile, one good memory not lost. Maybe the first of many now that-

The blaring horn pulls me from my thoughts, and I realize we've arrived at the Stronghold.

"Ya know," The siren spoke up as the gate began to fall, " Before a great battle, the monks would say prayer."

My hands clap together, a mock gesture of praying, "Holy BACON, mother of gore, PREY on us sinnerss, NOW AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR **DEATH**.** AMEN**!"

The gasps of marauders and clicking of rifles as we're exposed to the camp. Cackling, I hop off the technical to seek out the first victim. Slashing the more ballsy pyschos, I hear a rush of wind and turn to see a cluster of marauders suspended midair.

"_Huh. Well that's a new trick. This is gonna be __**good."**_

_**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooo**_

**Authors Note:**

Not much Krieg in this chapter. I just really wanted to paint a good image of Grace and her buddy Bad-Maw. Can't wait to get the next chapter out. Comments welcome, tell me whatcha think.


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